Paper-fastener.



l. RITTENHOUSE.

PAPER FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 1910.

1,156,179. v Patented 0011.12, 1915.

Irvin Riitenhouo.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D c.

STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

IRVIN RITTENI-IOUSE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOB TO HORACE F. CLARK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PAPER-FASTENEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 12, 191.5.

Application filed March 10, 1910. Serial No. 548,339.

of papers and is especially adapted for usein fiat or vertical filing systems.

This invention is an improvement over my Patent 920,393, in which the advantages of fasteners of this type are fully set forth.

l Vhile the preferred forms of this invention are illustrated upon the accompanying sheets of drawing, yet it is to be understood that minor detail changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of fastening device. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in cross section taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of fastener. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the form of fastener shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6,

in which two removable pin fasteners are shown as they would appear in use.

In each of the forms shown, the pin fastener or strip of pliable metal is adapted to be bent over the base at each end, and the free ends of the strip inserted through the paper and bent into engagement with the paper. A retaining washer may be placed upon the outer side of the papers as shown in Fig. 7 As arch files have come into general use it has been customary to construct the wires forming the arches a standard distance apart, and machines for perforating papers to be filed on such arches are also in general use. As it is preferable to perforate the papers to be retained upon the fasteners disclosed in this invention, the bases are so constructed that the turned up free end portions of the fastening strip will be received in the perforations of papers perforated by these standard machines. This is the preferable form. of constructing these fasteners,

but it is to be understood that the base members may be made of any length desired.

Figs. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate a base member having end portions struck up on broken lines AA, which extend parallel with the main body 2 of the base. The connecting angular portion 1 between the main body of. the base and the struck up portions are perforated as at 2 to receive the resilient strip 3, and the outer ends of the struck up portions are cut away to receive the resilient strip and allow a portion 1 of each end to extend beyond the strip on each side thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, the strip 3 is inserted through the perforations in angular connecting portions and then bent up through the cut away portions 3 on each end. As the struck up end portions are, directly in contact with the papers, the main body portion of the base will be spaced apart from the flat surface of the paper and toprevent this spaced apart portion from catching in other papers while the file is in use, the side edges 4 of the main body portion are beveled, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the top and bottom edges of the main body portion and struck up end portions will be in the same straight line and contact with the surface of the paper. The base is so constructed that the distance between the inner side edges of the cut away portions upon the struck up parts of the base will be of a distance corresponding to the center of the arches used upon the universal arch file, so that the pliable'strip. may be readily inserted through papers perforated by the universal perforating machine. As the end portions 1 of the base extend beyond the bent up strip, the extended portions will engage the paper on each side of the perforations therein and prevent tearing or mutilation during the use of the file. I

The fasteners disclosed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 comprise a base member 5 formed of a strip of metal having its opposite ends 6 bent back upon itself. The edges of the bent portions are provided with perforations adapted to receive the pliable fastening strip which is bent upward over the inturned portions, so that a perfectly continuous surface of the base will be presented upon the outside of the papers or file. This base is of such length that the bent up free end portions of the strip will be received in papers perforated in the manner de scribed, and as the continuous portions of the base member will be spaced apart from the back of the papers by the. thickness. of the inturned portions, the longitudinal sides 7 of the base member are beveled, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the edges will Contact directly with the surface of the paper.

Fig. 7 illustrates the application of a fastener constructed similar to that disclosed in Figs. 4-, 5, and 6, in which two pliable pin fasteners 3' and 3 are used. In this case the pin fasteners are bent away from each other at each end, so that papers may be secured upon both sides of the base member. This form of fastener is Very desirable where it is customary to separate correspondence into letters received and letters written, so that all of the letters may be filed as received upon one side and the answers may be filed as they may be made upon the other side.

What I claim is 1. A flat file fastener comprising a base and a pliable fastening strip removably carried thereby, said base formed with portions spaced apart from the main body between which the fastening strip is engaged, the side edges of the main body of the base beveled to lie in the same plane as the inner surfaces of the spaced apart portions.

A flat file fastener, comprising a base having spaced apart end portions extending parallel therewith, the connecting portions provided with perforations, a pliable fasteningstrip inserted through the perforations under the spaced apart portions and over the main body portion adapted to. be bent up over the end portions, said end portions extending beyond the fastening strip on each side thereof.

A flat file fastener, comprising a base ha ing inturned end portions, the connecting edges of the inturned end portions provided with perforations, a pliable fastening strip inserted through the perforations adapted to be bent up over the inturncd end portions.

A flat file fastener, comprising a base having inturned end portions, the connecting edges of the inturned portions provided with perforations, a pliable fastening strip inserted through the perforations adapted to be bent up over the inturned end portions, the side edges of the main body portion beveled to lie in the same plane with the inner surface of the intuzrned end portions.

IRVIN RITTENHQUSE.

Witnesses Lanenor: MOORE, CAROLINE Monenx.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Cicmmissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

